‘You can’t survive on this’: Public schools rely on paraprofessionals but pay meager wages

Paraprofessional Amy Morin makes less than half the average teacher’s salary in Lexington. CRAIG F. WALKER/GLOBE STAFF 

The Boston Globe - By Adria Watson and Deanna Pan Globe Staff, February 23, 2023 

(Excerpt) Schools across Massachusetts depend on the Amy Morins of the teaching corps. A paraprofessional, or teacher’s aide, in the Lexington public schools, Morin works intensively each day with kindergartners with special needs, freeing up classroom teachers to tend to the other students. On a recent morning, she helped one child with a hearing aid, went over classwork with another, stomped to the beat with a third during music class.

JET’s response to the writers:

Hello Adria and Deanna,

It was great to read your article today on paraprofessionals in Massachusetts, noting how their  responsibilities have changed but how little they are paid for the increased instructional work they do with students.

JET has long recognized that paraeducators make great teachers and has mentored over 200 of them across the state to help them achieve professional teaching status, which brings with it a sustainable living wage.  JET focuses on paraeducators in urban school districts where the need for racially and culturally diverse teachers is greatest. Paraeducators reflect the diversity of the urban student population more so than any other group of educators.  However, most urban paraeducators do not have their bachelor's degree.  It is a multi-year journey for them to become teachers, but these paraeducators are committed to teaching long term in their urban communities where many grew up and/or now live.

Please visit our website to learn more about JET.  We would welcome the opportunity to have a conversation with you.

Sincerely,

Pam Herrup, Interim Director